Journal of Advances and Scholarly Researches in Allied Education
Vol. 16, Issue No. 5, April-2019, ISSN 2230-7540
Smart Libraries for Smart Age
Mr. Vinayak Wadhwa*
S/O Sh. Suresh Wadhwa, B.Tech, M.B.A, B.LISc, M.Lib
Abstract – In the smart age, idea of the smart library means different things to different users. Smart
libraries will be dependent on the skills of the librarians as well as transformational impact of the
integrated learning. Role of future librarians will be governed by the technology of Automation,
Digitization, immersive technologies like AI, VR, IoT, Robotics etc. The paper is highlighting the Digital
Learning (DL) and Machine Learning (ML) since the librarians are working as a conduit for digital
capabilities. Outlines of new concept of smart libraries can be described in four dimensions such as smart
governance, smart services, smart place and smart people. The smart library concept does not constitute
a unique model or project but a process, a way of how to get things done that is less linear, less
structured and more creative and innovative. The paper concludes that in smart age the libraries are
harnessing the power of new technologies and they are the melt pot of ideas.
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SMART AGE institutions. They are also developing new
concepts for the marketing and advocacy for
The smart age empowered with new technologies is public, academic, and research libraries. There is
energizing possibilities for different users. The an abundant corpus of literature, surveys, case
challenges and concerns of smart age will be studies etc. about how these libraries move forward
multidimensional in the field of Education and and adapt to new technologies, new communities,
Cooperative Learning, Healthcare and Medicine, new user needs and information behaviors. They
Government and Industries, Society, People and all shaped the core values, and mission of new
Institution etc. changing the living world not only the generation of libraries and some of these features
libraries.Today‘s world has more than 3.8 billion are summarized as follows:
internet users and more than 1.3 billion websites,
blog, social media, YouTube etc. Apps such as • The strong connection with the users‘
Facebook, Twitter, Snapcha, LinkedIn connects with community and the attention paid to their
family, friends, followers etc. and discovering needs, and information literacy.
everything on internet keeping us updated.It is big
step of progress in computing from mainframe to • The principles of resources sharing,
personal computer and Internet to Smart phone collaboration, networking and openness.
which has opened opportunities for more people to
invent on the digital front. • The importance of innovative technologies.
Technologies that are shaping our world today is Information commons, learning centers, and green
revolutionizing the way we live and learn. Virtual and global libraries, represent different responses
reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), artificial to the same technological and societal challenges.
intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), Block chain,
internet of things (IoT), Drones, etc. are becoming TOWARDS A NEW MODEL
instrumental for libraries ascenter of exploring,
building and promoting these emerging technology Since 2013, a couple of studies, especially from
assuring the better futures and opportunities offered China and India, have introduced the concept of
to everyone. the smart library. However, the term was used in a
non-consistent way and centered on technology
SMART LIBRARIES &related work skills. Smart Libraries Newsletter
published by the American Library Association, lay
www.ignited.in
Libraries and Information Centre initiated several the main focus on radio-frequency identification
programs to promotecomputerization anddigitization (RFID), the Internet of Things and connected
in its services which are also promoted by the objects, mobile devices, infrastructures and Big
government of India. Libraries can be described as Data. The role and development of creativity,
social and technological-intellectual infrastructure, education, learning, and knowledge, that makes
essential for any public services and knowledge the concept attractive for libraries is depicted in
Mr. Vinayak Wadhwa*
900
Smart Libraries for Smart Age
Figure1. An inclusive and multidimensional concept libraries are prevalent in various sectorsof the society
of a smart library was presented at the European such as Agriculture, Health, Politics, Policy &
Conference on Information Literacy (ECIL) in 2015, Planning, History & Culture, Science & Society,
where Adam Sofronijevic and his colleagues from the Industry & Businesses, Education & Lifelong
University of Belgrade described the transformation Learning etc., Since in education the role of
of public library services into an ―information literacy technologies and its applications is having a
hub. profound influence on its users, the ways of learning
by the students, faculty and research scholars at
every level is changing.
EMERGING TRENDS AND TECHNOLOGY
Future is about active choices for the librarians.
Intelligent technologies like Machine Learning (ML),
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT)
and Block chain etc. are using computer system in
order to perform functions that usually require
human intelligence. AI and ML technologies have
the promise to bring great benefits but it involves
great cost also. Libraries can promote great
efficiency quality of life expanding their global
footprints but the question arises that to what
Figure.1
extent libraries are embracing capabilities
stemming from today‘s technology.
Smart libraries will focus on the impact of its
resources taking care of users needs. This will
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
convert them into a multifunctional center for
information and services.
The age of accelerated innovations is also marked
with cloud based application. AI and Block chain
Basic Concepts of A Smart Library:
has already transformed the industries besides
improving efficiency. It is being predicted that
Now-a day‘sinformation service in the library
Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning will
emphasise the online knowledge service provided by
impact all segments of daily life by the year 2025,
the librarians. The smart library system can create,
with applications in a wide range of industries such
validate and categorize knowledge using collective
as healthcare, transportation, retail, insurance,
intelligence group and provide intelligent
transport and logistics and customer service,
knowledge.Some of the recent technologies which
education etc. There‘s a blurry line between AI and
are almost prevalent in the libraries now-a days are
Automation, with the terms often used
Integrated Library Automation Software, which most
interchangeably.
of the libraries are using in the present time, but a
few of them are fully automated for the daily routine
AI: Refers to ―smart‖ technology. AI can deal with
works and services of the library, others are partially
conceptual ideas and uncertainty, and should
automated only for a limited service i.e. circulation,
analyze and apply new information to react to
acquisition, cataloguing, membership, reports,
situations. Machine learning is one subset of AI.
budget etc. The software facilitates smart features
i.e. email/ message alerts and notifications to the
Automation: Refers to ―dumb‖ technology powered
users, Web-OPAC, user login to check library status
by programmable bots. Automation follows rules to
etc. The content management, RFID security and
handle straightforward tasks, and it can‘t react to
transaction, sensors, digital repository, cloud storage
new situations.
and service, library networks and e-resources
consortia are other synonymous terms for smart
libraries as shown in figure.2. Libraries are also searching ways to adapt to
changes to serve as storehouses for knowledge
and histories. Thus, there is a need of smart library
in smart age, where a wealth of information on any
topic with quick research can be obtained.
Augmented Reality (AR)
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Augmented Reality brings the real and virtual items
together in a real environment. There are many
areas in which mobile augmented reality is being
used such as Navigation, Military, Medical,
Figure:2
Mr. Vinayak Wadhwa* 901
Journal of Advances and Scholarly Researches in Allied Education
Vol. 16, Issue No. 5, April-2019, ISSN 2230-7540
Gaming, Entertainment, Library Management etc. It Thus librarians should be Problem solving,doing
is an emerging technology of Virtual Reality, involves things ―the hard way‖, coming up with good ideas
knowledge about sensors, image recognition, and being unafraid to take risk.
computer vision, human-computer interaction, virtual
reality, and many other areas. The key technologies The real challenge for the librarians in mapping of
include displaying, registration, tracking and technology landscape is to correlate the major
interacting etc. are few applications in libraries. developments of new technologies and the changeof
the learning landscape over the next decade or
Internet of Things (IoT) more. Any smart library requires smart librarians
sincetheir role as leader is to create synergy
Simply, the internet of things consists of many between technology and professionals. We have to
devices-from very small sensors to smart phones believe in the power of libraries because libraries are
that are connected to each other. The term IoT ―power house‖ of knowledge and information.
includes of everything connected to the internet and Librarian are wonderful educator in every setting-
―talk‖ to each other. It is a giant network of connected schools, universities, cooperate library, Govt library,
things and people. The relationship will be between NGO etc.
people-people, people-things and things-things. It is
applied to libraries in order to monitor users‘ CONCLUSION
activities, feedback of users, effectiveness of
services, etc. It also has a significant role in For centuries libraries are regarded as repositories
information analysis and information of knowledge and history to preserve it from one
management.Using internet of things and new generation to another regardless of its nature. The
technologies can improve libraries, both on collecting digital interface to future technology will influence,
information and user services. The inter collaboration, inspire, the libraries and librarians.
communication between objects in IoT technologies
can make easier decision making and management The concept of the smart library remains somehow
process in libraries. As we move forward into the ―fuzzy‖, open and dynamic.Adapting the well-
digital age, the libraries must not only modernize known defination by Giffinger . one could say that a
their physical appearance but also expertise in smart library is well-performing in a forward looking
marketing capabilities in order to take the way, as an information-hub, providing access to
advantages of new technologies. information and improving information literacy. The
concept refers to the search and identification of
ROLE OF LIBRARIAN intelligent solutions which allow modern libraries to
enhance the quality of the services. Library based
―In the nonstop tsunami of global information, activities influenced with technology are changing
Libaraians provides us with floaties and tech us to the reading, learning landscape in spite of
swim‖ electronic mediapenetrating from books will never
be out dated. The recent trends in the innovation of
-Linton Weeks information technology and the changing learning
environment highly impacted the Academic
Technology should make the libraries a better place libraries globally. The libraries should understand
for seamless access. They are rightly termed as new how the academic, research, public community is
age knowledge institutions, which has tranformed the being transformed and thus transform themselves,
role of librarians and information scientists into new so as to keep pace with global phenomenon.A
leaderships of strong vision of creating shared library can be modern, improve its service quality,
values. Endless potential of systems and jumble of develop new services, and implement new
technologies requires attention from librarians to be information technology even without being smart.
knowledgeable about the entire lanscape, including
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